Apparatus and method for implementing application using solar battery charging of portable terminal

Abstract

An apparatus and method for implementing an application using solar battery charging of a portable terminal are provided. The method includes determining the accumulated charging time of the solar battery, extracting an image corresponding to the determined accumulated charging time of the solar battery from a storage unit, and displaying the extracted image on a display unit. Accordingly, a user may be entertained by plant growing at the same time of charging the solar battery.

1 . A method for indicating an accumulated charging time of a solar battery of a portable terminal, the method comprising:
 determining an accumulated charging time of a solar battery;   extracting an image corresponding to the determined accumulated charging time of the solar battery from a storage unit; and   displaying the extracted image on a display unit.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the accumulated charging time comprises an accumulated charging amount. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining of the accumulated charging time of the solar battery comprises determining a start time at which entering into a solar battery charging mode is detected. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the determining of the accumulated charging time of the solar battery comprises:
 determining an intermediate time at which at least one of selection of a menu for executing an application is detected and an end time at which a solar battery charging end mode is detected;   determining a difference value between one of the determined intermediate time and the end time and the determined start time; and   summing the determined difference value and a previously determined and stored accumulated charging time of the solar battery.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the image corresponding to the accumulated charging time of the solar battery comprises an image related to a plant growing process over time. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, before the extracting of the image:
 evaluating application setup information; and   applying a weight to the accumulated charging time of the solar battery corresponding to the evaluated application setup information,   wherein the extracting of the image comprises a process of extracting the image corresponding to the weight-applied accumulated charging time of the solar battery from the storage unit.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the application setup information indicates whether at least one of options of ‘watering’, ‘fertilizing’, and ‘insecticiding’ required for plant growing is set, and a weight is assigned for each option. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the applying of the weight comprises a process in which a weight assigned to a corresponding option is applied to the accumulated charging time of the solar battery when a preset option exists as the application setup information. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the application setup information comprises information on a pre-selected plant, and the plant is selected variously according to a level of difficulty. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 if the determined accumulated charging time of the solar battery is greater than or equal to a threshold time, converting the accumulated charging time of the solar battery into a point; and   using the converted point when an item is downloaded through a web.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the displaying of the extracted image on the display unit is a process in which the extracted image is displayed on an idle screen. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus for indicating an accumulated charging time of a solar battery of a portable terminal, the apparatus comprising:
 a determiner for determining an accumulated charging time of a solar battery; and   an application unit for extracting an image corresponding to the determined accumulated charging time of the solar battery from a storage unit and for displaying the extracted image on a display unit.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the accumulated charging time comprises an accumulated charging amount. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the determiner comprises a first element for determining a start time at which entering into a solar battery charging mode is detected. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the determiner further comprises:
 a second element for determining an intermediate time at which at least one of selection of an application execution menu is detected and an end time at which a solar battery charging end mode is detected,   a third element for determining a difference value between at least one of the determined intermediate time and the end time and the determined start time; and   a forth element for summing the determined difference value and a previously determined and stored accumulated charging time of the solar battery.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the image corresponding to the accumulated charging time of the solar battery comprises an image related to a plant growing process over time. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the application unit evaluates application setup information, applies a weight to the accumulated charging time of the solar battery corresponding to the evaluated application setup information, and extracts the image corresponding to the weight-applied accumulated charging time of the solar battery from the storage unit. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the application setup information indicates whether at least one of options of ‘watering’, ‘fertilizing’, and ‘insecticiding’ required for plant growing is set, and a weight is assigned for each option. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the application unit applies a weight assigned to a corresponding option to the accumulated charging time of the solar battery when a preset option exists as the application setup information. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the application setup information comprises information on a pre-selected plant, and the plant is selected variously corresponding to a level of difficulty. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein, if the determined accumulated charting time of the solar battery is greater than or equal to a threshold time, the application unit converts the accumulated charging time of the solar battery into a point, and uses the converted point when an item is downloaded through a web. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the application unit displays the extracted image on an idle screen. 
     
     
         23 . A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for a portable terminal, the computer-readable recording medium comprising:
 a first code segment, for determining an accumulated charging time of a solar battery;   a second code segment, for extracting an image corresponding to the determined accumulated charging time of the solar battery from a storage unit; and   a third code segment, for displaying the extracted image on a display unit.